Job 33 - New International Version, 1984
“But now, Job, listen to my words;
pay attention to everything I say.
pay attention to everything I say.
I am about to open my mouth;
my words are on the tip of my tongue.
my words are on the tip of my tongue.
My words come from an upright heart;
my lips sincerely speak what I know.
my lips sincerely speak what I know.
The Spirit of God has made me;
the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
Answer me then, if you can;
prepare yourself and confront me.
prepare yourself and confront me.
I am just like you before God;
I too have been taken from clay.
I too have been taken from clay.
No fear of me should alarm you,
nor should my hand be heavy upon you.
nor should my hand be heavy upon you.
“But you have said in my hearing—
I heard the very words—
I heard the very words—
‘I am pure and without sin;
I am clean and free from guilt.
I am clean and free from guilt.
Yet God has found fault with me;
he considers me his enemy.
he considers me his enemy.
He fastens my feet in shackles;
he keeps close watch on all my paths.’
he keeps close watch on all my paths.’
“But I tell you, in this you are not right,
for God is greater than man.
for God is greater than man.
Why do you complain to him
that he answers none of man’s words?
that he answers none of man’s words?
For God does speak—now one way, now another—
though man may not perceive it.
though man may not perceive it.
In a dream, in a vision of the night,
when deep sleep falls on men
as they slumber in their beds,
when deep sleep falls on men
as they slumber in their beds,
he may speak in their ears
and terrify them with warnings,
and terrify them with warnings,
to turn man from wrongdoing
and keep him from pride,
and keep him from pride,
to preserve his soul from the pit,
his life from perishing by the sword.
his life from perishing by the sword.
Or a man may be chastened on a bed of pain
with constant distress in his bones,
with constant distress in his bones,
so that his very being finds food repulsive
and his soul loathes the choicest meal.
and his soul loathes the choicest meal.
His flesh wastes away to nothing,
and his bones, once hidden, now stick out.
and his bones, once hidden, now stick out.
His soul draws near to the pit,
and his life to the messengers of death.
and his life to the messengers of death.
“Yet if there is an angel on his side
as a mediator, one out of a thousand,
to tell a man what is right for him,
as a mediator, one out of a thousand,
to tell a man what is right for him,
to be gracious to him and say,
‘Spare him from going down to the pit;
I have found a ransom for him’—
‘Spare him from going down to the pit;
I have found a ransom for him’—
then his flesh is renewed like a child’s;
it is restored as in the days of his youth.
it is restored as in the days of his youth.
He prays to God and finds favor with him,
he sees God’s face and shouts for joy;
he is restored by God to his righteous state.
he sees God’s face and shouts for joy;
he is restored by God to his righteous state.
Then he comes to men and says,
‘I sinned, and perverted what was right,
but I did not get what I deserved.
‘I sinned, and perverted what was right,
but I did not get what I deserved.
He redeemed my soul from going down to the pit,
and I will live to enjoy the light.’
and I will live to enjoy the light.’
“God does all these things to a man—
twice, even three times—
twice, even three times—
to turn back his soul from the pit,
that the light of life may shine on him.
that the light of life may shine on him.
“Pay attention, Job, and listen to me;
be silent, and I will speak.
be silent, and I will speak.
If you have anything to say, answer me;
speak up, for I want you to be cleared.
speak up, for I want you to be cleared.
But if not, then listen to me;
be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”
be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”